Disclaimer: It's not mine, it's not yours, it's Tolkien's
A/N: Hey people, next part is actually... posted... weird. Anyway, remember this is a bit AU, as any fanfiction that is written has to be AU.
Foreign Guests, New Allies
Standing upon his balcony, a lone figure looked out to greet the morning. The world lit up as Arien crested above the trees, bright in her golden glory. The Greenwood almost seemed cheerful.
Cheer had not dwelled in Greenwood for many years. Only 200 years had past since the Battle of Dagorlad. Only 200 years since only a third of Greenwood's warriors had come home, with them the bodies of their fallen comrades. Husbands, Fathers, Sons and so many, many others. All gone. But arguably the most devastating loss was the death of Oropher, King of Greenwood the Great. The one who had come and united the Silvan people. A lord who had touched lives, helped them make their home, gone.
But Greenwood persevered, she always perseveres. Thranduil Oropherion, only child of Oropher, took up his father's crown. Gathering his broken people, he shed tears with them, grieved with hem, remembered with them. Together with his wife the Queen, and the Queen Mother, Greenwood was made stable. Temporarily stable
Years came and went, and the Kingdom rejoiced at the news that the Queen was with child Never before had the people seen their lord so happy. Everywhere new life was being brought forth and the population was slowly beginning to recover.
Everything went well with the Queen's pregnancy, until the final months before the birth of the young one. Strong in mind, but not in body, the Queen struggled long into the night. When dawn broke through the budding leaves the next day, They knew that there was little chance of her survival. But she would not take her child with her.
An heir was born that day. Born out of the love and through the determination of it's mother, he survived. Holding him to her chest for the first, and inevitably the last, time she named him. Legolas. Greenleaf in the tongue of her people. The last, and greatest gift that she would leave to her husband and Kingdom.
Bitter was the parting between the royal couple. For she was going to where he could not follow. And he was losing his most loyal councilor, his dearest friend, is beloved wife of nearly a millennium.
Because he would remain, no matter what. For his loss was at least equal if not overridden by the loss that his son was facing. The loss of a mother was something that he, himself had never faced. His mother was still with him, grieving with him. Together they would see to it that this child would survive.
The child that was in his arms this moment, as he watched yet another dawn, only this one eight months after the loss of his love. Thranduil looked down at the small bundle in his arms. Sleeping peacefully unaware of his father's brooding, Legolas subconsciously wrapped one tiny fist around his father's hair. The same golden hair that graced his delicate head. At this stage in his life he looked much like Thranduil when he was the same age. Perhaps a bit smaller. But if he were to awake then, eyes green as his namesake would look back at him. He eyes of his mother.
Thranduil would give much, just to stay like this forever. But change is the natural way of the world, and change, unknowingly, was making it's way to the Greenwood.
TBC
Answers to Reviewers:
LOTRFaith: Thank you v.much for the comment. I'll try to see if I can maintain your interest.
A: Thanks for the comments! I always appreciate them. However I did say it was AU at the beginning of the chapter, so that should cover why I had all the Istari arrive together. I'm not sure if any Sauruman/Radagast conflict will happen, but you never know. I never actually had then reveal their actual names to Cirdan (eg Olorin) I had them give them the names the elves knew them by. Plus by being a councilor to Irmo doesn't Gandalf technically serve him?
